The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Working Committee has appointed Setonji Koshoedo as the interim National Secretary of the party. Prior to this appointment, Koshoedo held the position of Deputy National Secretary within the party.
Umar Damagum, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, made this announcement following the NWC meeting held on Tuesday. Damagum clarified that Koshoedo’s designation is provisional, pending the resolution of an ongoing court case. He stated, “We decided that the Deputy National Secretary should take over in an acting capacity pending the resolution of the Court case. We also direct parties involved in the Court case to stand down action for the party’s due process.”
A Federal Capital Territory High Court had previously issued an order prohibiting Senator Samuel Anyanwu from representing himself as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The court order, a result of a suit seeking an interlocutory injunction, restrained the PDP from recognizing Anyanwu as the National Secretary until the substantive suit is determined.
The case, identified as FCT/HC/M/015/23, listed Douglas Nwachukwu as the complainant, with the PDP, Anyanwu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants. Following a motion on notice from F. S. Jimba, counsel for the applicant, Justice M.M Adamu restrained Anyanwu from assuming the role of the National Secretary. The court also prohibited the PDP and INEC from acknowledging Anyanwu as the National Secretary until the substantive suit is concluded. The hearing for the substantive suit is scheduled for January 24, 2024.
It’s worth noting that Anyanwu, who contested as the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in the recent Imo State election, lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hope Uzodinma.